View of Sandia Mt. from Alameda Blvd.

68  F  few clouds.

I hiked up to this spot this morning before the winds started.

#504 Sandia Mt. from Alameda Blvd.

4-8-15

11x14

I liked the mountain against the sky and the road.

The road gave me a little trouble, and still does.

The light got higher in the sky and became more of a nusence as the session progressed.

The division between the grass and the road is too severe and I had anticipated breaking it up a bit....

It didn't happen, or not enough, but over all not too bad.....

The scene.

Sight- size shot.

My spot.

My pallet.











I haven't included my other travel oddities; today they included a trip to the Georgia O'keefe Museum and gallery hopping in Santa Fe,  yesterday we went to the Pueblo Cultural  Center, and Monday we went to the hot springs and had mud baths, so Painting has been sandwiched in between a whole lot of awesome adventures!

Rio Grande @ rt. 423 Bridge, Albuquerque, NM.

72  F  Partly cloudy

Today's Money Shot:

#503  Rio Grande @ Rt. 423, Albuquerque, NM

4-7-15

11x14

It was going to be very windy this afternoon, so I found a protected place, walking distance from our friends house.

I couldn't resist going down by the river under the bridge.

The sun was starting to go down.

There were a lot of things I liked about this, and it felt like me.

Here is where I ended up, one of my favorite things: looking into the sun!

Here is where I ended up, but as Alane pointed out "it doesn't look like New Mexico", I agreed!

Carson National Forest, Taos.

65  sunny, a little wind.

#502  Carson National Forest, Taos.

5-6-15

11x14

My family and friends went on a hike, I stopped here while they continued on, I'm under a power line.

I toned the panel a bit too dark, I didn't have any mineral spirits or turp, so I just scrapped some paint in the surface I was concerned that it would influence my wet paint, but with the surface so dry and textured to start, it didn't.

There was a lot of distance here.

Emma took this photo, I never got a good end photo with the sun on the panel.

The trail head, just East of Taos.

Happy Easter from New Mexico!!!!

70  F  sunny afternoon wind.

Here I am on the East side of Rio Grande Gorge near Taos, New Mexico, this Easter Sunday.

#500 Rio Grande Gorge from Picuais Trail.

4-5-15

11x14

It feels like we are on the moon, this landscape, from Upstate NY.  It's overwhelming, so instead of stopping just anywhere I drive to the end of the pavement and hike up a hill.

With everything so different I needed the consistency of my same pallet.

Sky, and distant mountains.

I felt totally lost. (that's not bad is it?)

What a mess I made!

Sight size shot.

I'm just off the path, and in such an uncomfortable position!

I got the painting to this place, mess-on-mess, but it's my first here and I'm feeling like a fish out of water, so I chalk it up to experience, and move on.

The scene. This is not Cambridge, NY.

I hiked down to the rented van, it was 12:00 noon and windy, so I thought I'd find a protected spot by the water.

There are so many fuzzy pink and grey patches blending together!

The brightness of the water needed me to darken the light pinkish-greyness, so you could get that the water was really bright.

I also liked the shadows/rocks providing some contrast, and a bit of green.

Here is where I finished,

#501 Rio Grand Gorge, off rte 570.

4-5-15

Sight-size shot.

Money Shot.

This is my family getting ready to go down the river on a raft, they are very understanding that I needed to paint today, and we all had a good time!

New Mexico: the pack-up.

Today was the best weather day in a very long time but no matter, I had to get my stuff together, here it is:

This is my new panel carrier, it holds 8 11x14 panels, I hope it makes it.

 I did a little alteration of an existing day panel carrier, it holds one plexiglass pallet, one panel and one board that I can use to tape pre-cut sheets of paper and primed linen. Those sheets are wrapped up in between two  boards (to the right)

the bigger carrier is made of 1/2 " O.S.B. and plywood and is pretty heavy, it should make it, the other is much flimsier, but I needed a day carrier.

 I'm taking more paint than I need. I won't necessarily drag it all around, but I don't want to run out.

I did this same thing for my trip to Germany, but we're going to Albuquerque.......(and also is my "leatherman")

This it the camera tripod that I rigged to hold a panel. I took it to Germany. It's a tough old metal tripod and is a bit heavy, it also holds the panel low, so I have to use my backpack seat, to get my eye lower, bad for the back, but it works.

The brushes are wrapped up in a pajama pant leg tied at the bottom in a knot. the strips of cloth are from old t-shirts, each has a few cuts along the side so I can rip small squares off in the field, I hate paper towels. Then an empty, clean lidded jar and a roll of blue tape.

Finally my backpack/seat, I got it at Dick's Sporting goods for $20. The last one I left in Germany.

A little bubble wrap.

So that's about everything, (missing are bungee cords)  It weighed in @ 42 lbs, my limit is 50 lbs. so I'll be able to stuff in a few more items....